Loose-leaf binder.



:10.679,865. Patgnted Aug. 6, |901. La. scHuLT.

LQOSE LEAF BINDER. (Appnmin med am. 11, 1901.)

(No Model.)

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UNITED STATES,

PATENT OFFICE.

LARS Cr. SCHULT, `OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

Loose-LEAF BINDER.

SPECIFICATION forming Vpart of Letters Patent No. 679,865, dated August 6, 1901.

Application fue@ March 11,1901. serial No. 50,628. (No modem' The object of my invention is to so con-V struct a binder for loose leaves -that one or more leaves may be readily inserted within said binder or removed therefrom and While therein may be securely retained in place,

whether few or many.

To these ends my invention consists in cer-l tain special features of construction hereinafter more particularly described, and definitely pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is an edge view of a binder embodying the features of my invention, a portion of the saine being broken away. Fig. 2 is an inside view of the clamp-` ing-frame. Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken upon the line 3, Fig. 2, viewed in the direction of the arrow there shown. Fig. 4 is a transverse vertical sectional view taken upon the line 4, Fig. 2, viewed in the direction of the arrow there shown. Fig. is a sectional plan view in detail taken upon the line 5, Fig. 3. Fig. 6 is a transverse vertical sectional View taken upon the line 6, Fig. 2, viewed in the direction of the arrow there shown; and Fig. 7 is a plan view in detail ofV the lock-controlling gears.

Referring to the drawings, a. b respectively represent two metal binding-plates, which are arranged parallel to each other and form the main or primary feature of the framework of my improved binder. Rigidly attached to the plate ot is a sheet-metal expansion-plate c, which is provided with a flange d, formed at right angles to the main body of said plate, which flange is attached to the plate a by means of screws c. A similar plate f is attached in like manner to the plate b by means of the flange g. The plates cfform the expansion back of the binder and are arranged in contact with and adapted to slide upon each other. Each of said, plates is shaped at the respective ends in the formof a scroll, as

shown at 71, h and t' li, respectively, the latter being of a diameter adapted to iit closely upon and inclose the former. This feature enables the former to slide within the latter to permit the expansion of the back, while retaining said parts in alinement and preserving the back-plates cf in parallel planes. In order to render said end scrolls rigid with the plates ct b, I form flanges 7s 7c upon the scrolls h h andlike flanges Z Z upon the scrolls t t', the former of which flanges are attached by lneans of screws, as shown, to the plate a and the latter in like manner to the plate IJ. Said scrolls form telescoping tubes, within each of which is inserted a spiral compressionspring j, the ends of which'bear upon the plates a 'and b, as clearly shown in Fig. 6, andtend to force the two apart, as hereinafter described.

Rigidly attached to the plate a are wire studs or posts m n, which are in alinement with similar posts m' n', attached in like manner to the plate b. The posts m are longer than the posts m and are pointed, as indi cated, the points being tted to engage with corresponding depressions in the shortposts, While the posts 'n' are long and are fitted to engage in like manner with the short posts n.

The several posts are adapted to pass through perforations in the leaves o, Fig. l, and to retain the latter in place, the object in attaching said long and short posts alternately to opposite plates being to retain the leaves in contact with at least two of the posts when the binder is unlocked and expanded, as hereinafter set forth. Y

` In order to accommodate my improved binder to varying numbers of leaves, I provide the following-described adjustable locking mechanism: Rigidlyattached to the plate b, midway between the ends ofthe latter, by means of a flangep and screws q, Figs. 2, 3, and 4, is a flattened sheet-metal tube r of a length corresponding to the width of one of the back-plates and having one end thereof open. The rear of said tube is placed next to the back-plate c. Located within saidA tube and pivoted at s, Fig. 5, near the open end thereof, is a pawl t in engagement with a retaining-spring u, secured within said tube, as shown in said last-named figure. A top view of said pawl is also shown in Fig. 3. Swiveled in the plate a is a rack-bar fu, having IOO teeth U, to the outer end of which bar is rigidly attached a segmental pinion w, the rotation of which is limited by means of stop-pins w. Agear-wheel-xismountedupontheplate d by means of a pin or screw y and adapted to engage and actuate the pinion w. Bores or depressions z are provided to enable said gear to be rotated by means of a special key having prongs shaped to fit said depressions. The rack-bar o is covered by means of a sheetmetal shield r2, having a flange U3 attached by means of screws v4 to the plate d, said shield being so shaped as to cover and telescope with the fiat tube r, into which latter the rack-har v enters in such a manner that the pawl 2f may be free to engage the teeth of said rack-bar when the latter is rotated to an operative position, as hereinafter stated.

lA sheet-m etal plate c', Figs. 2 and 3, is loosely connected by means of a pin c2 to the backplate c, a slot c3 being formed in said plate, in which said pin is free to move to provide for the necessary expansion of the binding-plates. One endK of said plate c is connected with the back-plate f by means of a pin c4, secured within a suitable opening, thereby enabling said plate c to limit the expansive movement of the back-plates when the locking mechanism is released. Upon disconnecting the pin c4 the sliding sections of the back may be entirely separated. The usual covers o', Fig'. l, hinged in the ordinary way at 02,are attached by means of said hinge portions to studs 03, which are in turn screwed or otherwise rigidly secured to the plates d b, respectively.

'lhe operation of my improved device is as follows: Assuming the two parts of the adjustable back to be separated, the springs j are placed within the tubes formed by the scrolls h h. Said scrolls are then inserted within the scrollst' z', While the tuberis caused 'to telescope with the part v2 and the rack-bar to enter said tube. lf the rack-bar is adjusted in the position shown in Fig. 5, the pawl 15 will engage with the teeth of said rack and retain the connected parts in position against the expansive action of the springs j. The pin or stud c4 of the plate c is then connected with the back f, which serves to limit the eX- pansive movement of the two sections when the pawl is disconnected from the rack. The two sections may be readily drawn together by compression to any desired degree, in which position they are held by the engagement of the pawl and rack. When it is desired to release the pawl and rack from eugagement, a key is inserted in the holes Z of the gear and the latter is turned until the pinion w engages one of the stops provided therefor. This causes a sufficient rotation of the rack-bar 'U to turn the teeth away from and to cause the smooth portion thereof to be brought into contact with the pawl t. The springs j then cause the back-sections to eX- pand, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 2, until limited by the plate c. When so expanded, the leaves, which are perforated to receive the retaining-posts, are placed in position and the sections compressed until the plates a b are brought into contact .with the leaves, as indicated'in Fig. l, where, assuming the rack to be set in a locking position, they are securely retained.

By reason of the telescoping features described myimproved binder is rendered light, simple, and compact and may be cheaply constructed and easily manipulated. A further advantage is that a powerful compression is not necessary in order to retain the leaves in place, they being secured and always retained with their edges even by the retaining-posts.`

Moreover, it is obvious that the device may be used with a single leaf and from that up to the full capacity of the binder.

The locking device is simple and durable and it cannot become disconnected except through the action of the key.

Havingy thus described my invention, I claiml. A device of the class described, in which are combined parallel binding-plates, overlapping back expansion-plates.arranged at right angles thereto, the same being shaped in scroll or tubular form at the respective ends to telescope with each other, and an adjustable locking mechanism for securing the binding-plates in position when compressed upon the leaves, substantially as described.

2. The combination in a device of the class described, of parallel binding-plates, backplates arranged at right angles thereto, one of said back-plates being rigidly secured to one and the other to the other of said binding-plates, said back-plates being shaped at the respective ends to t'orm interlocking telescoping tubular scrolls, expansion-springs arranged within said tubular scrolls, and an adjustable locking mechanism for locking said plates together, substantially as described.

3. The combination kof parallel bindingplates, back-plates arranged at right angles thereto, one of said back-plates being rigidly attached to one and the other to the other of said vbinding-plates, said back-plates being shaped at the respective ends to form interlocking telescopiugtubularscrolls,eXpansionsprings within said tubular scrolls, an adjustable locking mechanism, and a series of leaf-retaining posts, each post consisting of one long and one short member of like diameter, one being pointed and the other re- IOO IIO

cessed to receive the point thereof, said members being alternately attached to opposite binding-plates, whereby, in adjacent posts, a short member may stand adjacent to a long one, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses, this 9th day of March, 1901.

LARS G. SCHULT.

Witnesses:

D. H. FLETCHER, DWIGHT B. CHEEVER. 

